Yesterday we posted about the sinking of the restored pilot schooner Elbe No.5, ex-Wander Bird, following a collision with a container ship near Stade, Germany on the Elbe River. The schooner, launched in 1883, had just completed a $1.7 million renovation. Fortunately while several were injured, none of the 43 passengers and crew died in the collision. An investigation of the incident is ongoing.
The schooner has had a fascinating history. It served as a pilot schooner on the River Elbe for 41 years, carrying pilots to guide ships from the North Sea up the river to the mighty port of Hamburg. She then spent a few years with several owners as a private yacht, named Wandervogel. In 1929, the schooner was purchased by American journalist Warwick Tompkins, who translated the German name to Wander Bird.
On Saturday, the restored pilot schooner 
On May 18th, 
In April, we posted, 
I am aware of only one man who was praised by both Eisenhower and Hitler. A 
The 
At about 8:30 AM on Sunday, the cruise ship 
For several years, we have followed the attempts to control, if not eradicate, the invasive lionfish from the waters around Florida and the Caribbean. Recently, divers participating in Destin, Florida’s 
Coast Guard crews rescued a man and woman from a capsized sailboat in rough seas about 65 miles east of Atlantic City, NJ, late Wednesday night. Heidi Snyder and Peter Bailey, who have been sailing around the world for two years, were traveling from South Carolina to New York City when a microburst capsized their 55-foot wooden-hull sailboat, Bertie. 
Sadly, the sinking of overloaded ferry boats in the developing world is not new news. It happens with a great enough frequency that it is easy to overlook. Which may be why these tragedies are worth noting. Last weekend, an overcrowded boat sank on Lake Mai-Ndombe in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The majority of those on board were teachers going to collect their salaries, a local mayor told the 
How is our week going so far? Probably better than